Announcing Christ

Paul uses the noun “gospel” or the verb “evangelize/preach the gospel” twelve times in the first two chapters of Galatians. It is good news for the twelve tribes.

While we can’t rest too much on grammatical forms, it is interesting to note the objects of the verb euaggelizo in these chapters. Typically, the object of “evangelize” is not the audience but the content of the announcement. Specifically, in Galatians 1:16 the object is “Him,” the Son whom the Fathe who separated Paul from the womb revealed in the apostle. The verb might better be translated as “announce” or “proclaim” than “preach the gospel.” Paul was sent to “announce the Son” to the Gentiles. (“Preach” would be fine, but has churchy connotations that the original word didn’t yet have.)

In 1:23, the Paul who once persecuted now preaches the “faith.” This might well be another way of saying that He announces Christ, since “faith” seems to be a name of Jesus in 3:23. It could also refer to the faith that the gospel elicits, or the teaching concerning Jesus that forms the content of the gospel. Either way, the object is about what is said rather than the audience. Again, “anounce” or even “herald” seems to be a good translation. Paul’s calling is to announce Christ, the faith, to the Gentiles.